We have investigated the effects of serotonin depletion on immune-mediated activation of the hypothalamo-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis. Corticotrophin-releasing factor (CRF) mRNA, c-fos mRNA and Fos peptide responses in the paraventricular nucleus (PVN) together with circulating levels of corticosterone were assessed in response to i.p. injections of three doses of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) both ...

A model has been developed in which acute cocaine administration results in an enhanced T-dependent antibody response to sheep erythrocytes. This enhancement occurs when cocaine (30 mg/kg, twice in 1 day) is administered 1 or 2 days before sensitization with antigen, in mice older than 16 wk. Acute cocaine has been shown to elicit a rise in serum corticosterone, and the administration of exogen...

The relationship between stress and obesity was assessed in male rats selectively bred to develop either diet-induced obesity (DIO) or diet resistance (DR) when fed a high-energy, 31% fat diet for 3 wk followed by 2 wk on a hyperphagic liquid diet (Ensure). One-half of the rats of each phenotype were subjected to moderate daily, unpredictable stress (cage changing, exposure to conspecific, swim...

Corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH) is widely recognized as the primary mediator of the neuroendocrine and behavioral responses to stress, including stress-induced anxiety. The biological activity of CRH and other mammalian CRH-like peptides, such as urocortin, may be modulated by CRH-binding protein (CRH-BP). To assess directly the CRH-BP function, we created a mouse model of CRH-BP deficien...

RANKL: Receptor activator of nuclear factorkappa B ligand; PTHrP: Parathyroid Hormone Related Peptide; ACTH: Adrenocorticotropic Hormone; POMC: Pro-Opiomelanocortin; PNES: Paraneoplastic Endocrine Syndrome; OPG: Osteoprotegrin; CS: Cushing’s Syndrome; CLIP: Corticotrophin-Like Intermediate Lobe Peptide; MSH: α-Melanocyte Stimulating Hormone; CLIP: Corticotrophin-Like Intermediate Lobe Peptide; ...

The nonpeptide CRH antagonist antalarmin has been shown to block both behavioral and endocrine responses to CRH. However, it's potential activity in blunting behavioral and endocrine sequelae of stressor exposure has not been assessed. Because antagonism of central CRH by alpha-helical CRH attenuates conditioned fear responses, we sought to test antalarmin in this regard. In addition, it remain...

Corticosterone and total ghrelin levels are increased in somatostatin (SST) knockout mice (Sst-/-) compared with SST-intact controls (Sst+/+). Because exogenous ghrelin can increase glucocorticoids, the question arises whether elevated levels of ghrelin contribute to elevated corticosterone levels in Sst-/- mice. We report that Sst-/- mice had elevated mRNA levels for pituitary proopiomelanocor...

We used captive European starlings (Sturnus vulgaris) to test whether corticosterone responses differed in birds held under normal laboratory conditions or conditions of chronic stress. Surprisingly, both basal corticosterone concentrations and corticosterone responses to acute stress were significantly reduced when birds were chronically stressed. To determine the mechanism underlying this red...

The effects of angiotensin II, catecholamines and glucocorticoid on CRF-induced ACTH release were examined using rat anterior pituitary cells in monolayer culture. Synthetic ovine CRF induced a significant ACTH release in this system. Angiotensin II produced an additive effect on CRF-induced ACTH release. The ACTH releasing activity of CRF was potentiated by epinephrine and norepinephrine. Dopa...

OBJECTIVE The objective of the study was to analyse placental hormone profiles in twin pregnancies to determine if they could be used to predict preterm birth. STUDY DESIGN Progesterone, estradiol, estriol and corticotropin-releasing hormone were measured using competitive immunoassay and radioimmunoassay in serum and saliva samples of 98 women with twin pregnancies,at 3 or more gestational t...